The Other Washington

For most consumers who do not live on the West Coast of the United
States, Washington is the capital of the country, not some obscure state
in its most distant, upper left-hand corner. And, geographically, the
state is split into two completely different halves, which may be
labeled the "wet side" and the "dry side." The Cascade Mountain range
separates the two halves. The dry side produces 90 percent of the
vinifera grapes.

A few statistics about Washington wines:

Second in premium wine production in the United States,

Washington state is home to over 650 wineries,

There are 32,000 acres of vineyards producing over $3 billion annually for the state, and

the main export markets are Canada, United Kingdom and Japan.

While
Washington state is known for its software, coffee and airplanes, it is
very much an agricultural state. Eastern Washington (the dry side) is
farm country where wine grapes are an important fourth crop, behind
apples, pears and cherries. It has a continental, semi-desert climate
and receives only eight inches of rain a year. Winters can be harsh, so
vines are planted on slopes with good airflow to protect from frosts and
freezes. During the growing season, there are 17 daylight hours per
day. Soils are sandy loam, and irrigation is necessary as summers are
hot and dry but with cool nights. All of these elements result in small
fruit, vibrant fruit flavors, excellent acidity and dense tannins.

Western
Washington (the wet side) is home to many wineries/tasting rooms but
few vineyards as it has a mild, damp climate. Most of the grapes are
from the east side and are trucked over the pass.

There are 11
federally designated regions called American Viticulture Areas (AVAs).
The first was Yakima Valley established in 1983 and the last two were
added in 2009; Snipes Mountain and Lake Chelan.

The evolution of the wine
industry in Washington has come as far as or farther than California, in
less time. Today there is rich history with vineyards moving into the
fourth and fifth decade and wineries that can put together vertical
tastings going back 25 years or more - thanks to the visionaries and
pioneer growers who believed there was something magical in the land,
who bought barren acreage on a desolate hill called Red Mountain (added
as an AVA in 2001) and grew cabernet sauvignon. Today the red wine
grapes of Red Mountain can stake legitimate claim to greatness.

Chateau
Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest (of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, now
the ninth largest wine company in the world) have been largely
responsible for establishing a market presence for Washington wines
outside of the state. Their investment of millions of dollars in the
1980s in a state-of-the-art winery and 2,000 acres of new vineyard
represented a huge commitment to the wine industry. Alongside of the
giant Chateau Ste. Michelle, several boutique bottlers were gaining fame
with their cabernet sauvignons and are still considered among the very
best in the state. So, from the first commercial-scale planting and
modern winemaking in the 1960s to the present day, Washington state is
going to become one of the greatest wine regions in the world in the
21st century. In 2009 Wine Spectator Magazine selected a Washington
cabernet sauvignon as its number one wine of the year - the first time
the region has won this honor!